Picture container



Jan. 1970 J. M. HAUGEN 3,489,313

PICTURE CONTAINER Filed Jan. 29, 1968 Fig.2 /22 John M. Haugen ZNVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,489,313 Patented Jan. 13, 1970 3,489,313PICTURE CONTAINER John M. Haugen, Rte. 1, Box 236, Lake Stevens, Wash.98258 Filed Jan. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 701,239 Int. Cl. B6511 43/16 US. Cl.220-31 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pocket-size container foruse by a photo-developing and finishing establishment. It is given tothe customer with the developed prints encased therein, for placement ina garment pocket or handbag. After the photos have served their initialinspection purpose they can be replaced in'the then marked and datedcontainer, orderly grouped, and stored for periodic family viewing occa'SlOl'lS.

This application for patent has to do with an improvement on mycopending application Ser. No. 555,121 now Patent 3,381,850.

This invention relates to a novel pocket-size case-type container forprotectively storing memorable and keep sake pictures, photographicprints and preserving negatives and related memoranda. It is primarilydesigned and adapted for advertising and commercial use in aphotodeveloping and finishing establishment for optional sale tocustomers over the counter or, as is usually the situation, givenwithout extra charge to the customer in lieu of a paper sack as iscurrently the practice.

Briefly, the invention comprises a Hat colorful box or case made ofmoldable plastic material, polypropylene for example. It comprises atray provided with a hinged cover or lid and lugs or detents fixed onthe front wall portions and coacting in providing a snap-action catchwhich keeps the lid closed. The herein described containers currentlyand popularly in use are suitable for 3 /2 x 3 /2 inch (also 3 /2 x 5 /2inch) prints but may well vary 1n size.

Instead of handing the prints to the customer in a paper sack or bag, asis generally done, the herein disclosed plastic box or container issubstituted for the bag. Not only is this container colorfullyattractive it has proved out to be highly practical in that it isindicative of and in keeping with service not offered by competitivephotographers. When the customer receives this container with the printsprotectively confined therein it can be slipped in a garment pocket orhandbag for easy handling and carrying. After the photos have servedtheir initial purpose they are replaced in the container and thus can besafely grouped and kept for viewing whenever necessary or desired.

To the ends desired, the exterior of the bottom of the tray is providedwith a significant outstanding head which borders said bottom anddefines and provides a marginally framed surface. This surface can beand is used in that a gummed label may, if desired, be pasted within theencompassing limits of the frame where it remains intact. The framedspace can be used, with or without a label, to quickly reveal the natureor subject matter of the enclosed photos and date (or dates) on whichthey were taken and so on. The frame protects the label and data writtenthereon and is one of the features of the inventive concept.

Inasmuch as the integrally hinged lid is snap-fitted and the coactingrims of the tray and lid sections are yieldingly and friction retained,it has been repeatedly discovered that the step of opening the normallyclosed picture-retaining case may and often does pose a slight handlingdifficulty. Accordingly, a highly significant improvement has to do withstriking out and providing a flap-like tongue in the bottom of the tray.This tongue and the opening surrounding it, provides a practicaladaptation which can be utilized in a manner that the user canconveniently catch hold of the tray and lid sections in a manner to openthe case for whatever purpose that may be desired or necessary.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a picture container constructed inaccordance with the present invention and showing the lid or coverclosed, it being understood that the tray is then empty.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the tray section showing the improvedfeature, that is a struck-out tongue-like tab which is employed in anyone of several ways to assist the user in catching hold of and openingthe container.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective which shows one way in which the traysection is gripped with one hand and one finger is used to temporarilylodge itself in the finger hole, whereby to permit the hinged lidsection to be more readily opened.

FIG. 4 is a view, that is a central sectional view which shows the lidor cover closed and the receptacle or container space filled with astack of pictures.

In actual practice the material which is used in constructing theinnovation is preferably, but not necessarily, nontransparent and is ofan appropriate as well as an attractive color. The containers presentlybeing used are bright yellow but obviously, any suitable color may beemployed in keeping with the desires of the manufacturer, distributor,or photo-establishment using the same.

The rectangular shallow bottom section referred to as the tray orreceiver is denoted by the numeral 6 While the complemental lid or coversection is denoted at 8. The flat bottom wall of the tray is designatedat 10 and embodies integrally joined upstanding rim-forming Walls. Thefront wall is denoted at 12, the side walls at 14 and the back wall at16. The median upper edge portion of the front wall is provided with arelatively small upstanding lug or detent 18 to accommodate a coactingdetent 20 (FIG. 4) on the flange or front wall 22 of the lid 18. Thewall 22 and side walls 24 are adapted to fit snugly and retentively overthe walls 12 and 14 of the tray section. The coacting edge portions atthe juncture of the lid proper 26 and wall 16 are joined by a hingingweb 28, that is, a web which is a component of the overall one-piececontainer.

In actual practice the top or main component 26 of the lid is embossedto provide an identifying name or trademark (not shown). The medianportion is also provided with an ornamental design 30 comprising innerand outer rectangular frames or beads 32 and 34 and which in actualpractice encompass the word Picture (not shown) within the limitsthereof. This design feature 30 is decorative and optional.

With particular reference to the built-in or integral hinge 28 (FIG. 4)experience has shown that this feature can be so formed that it hasinherent resilient properties whereby when the detent 20 is releasedfrom the keeper detent 18, there is a tendency for the lid toautomatically swing up to an open position.

Also because of the fact that the container is made from colorfulplastic material it has been found that it is sometimes difficult tospring the lid from a closed position (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 for example) tothe open position shown in FIG. 2. One reason is because the plasticmaterial tends to stick slightly and since it is desirable to keep thecontainer effectively closed the friction-retained surfaces between therim walls 12, 14, 22 and 24 are effective but necessitate pulling thesections apart by catching hold of the tray 6 with one hand and the lidwith the other hand. However, and to assist in achieving this result, ithas been found practical and expedient to strike-out a flap-like tongueof ovate or similar shape. The tongue is denoted by the numeral 36 andthe finger opening is denoted at 38. The tongue and opening can beplaced at the suggested point in the bottom wall 10. Normally the tonguesprings down to the flush or normal position shown in FIG. 2.

With further reference to the featured finger-hole 38 and thecomplemental tab-like tongue 36, it can be employed in several ways. Themode of use can, if desired, be that shown, for example, in FIG. 3wherein the lid and tray sections are individually gripped with thefingers of both hands with one finger of one hand, say the left hand,poked through and lodged in the hole in a manner to bend the theninwardly flexed flap into the tray. With one finger thus hooked in placethe tray can be held with one hand and the lid with the other hand andopened. It is also feasible to insert the fingernail of a finger (notshown) into a marginal portion of the finger-hole, pry and flex flap ortongue outwardly so that it can be caught hold of with the thumb and afinger in a manner to positively hold the tray while the lid is pulledopen. The provision of the tab-like tongue in the bottom wallfacilitates the users capability of handling the container whether emptyor packed with a stack of tight fitting pictures. For example, thetab-like tongue 36 lends itself to desirable use as a readilymanipulable follower in that it can be manually pressed up (in a mannersimilar to that shown in FIG. 3) to dislodge and conveniently ejectpictures (not shown) that might tend to hang and thus interfere witheasy removal. As a matter of fact, the user can push the pictures up andagainst the lid and thus open the lid at the same time.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 the bottom wall is provided inwardly of therim walls with an endless substantially rectangular bottom elevatingbead 40. This embossed bead defines a framed data accommodation space42. Within the limits of the space (preferably in one corner) embossedwords such as Date 44 and Subject 46 are provided. One can use thewriting surface 42 to make pencil notes on (not illustrated). It is alsowithin the purview of the concept to use a major portion of the space 42for sticking a gummed label (not shown) therein with data thereon havingto do with the persons or places involved in the pictures contained inthe box. Accordingly, the box lends itself to practical and informativeuse.

In practice, after the purchaser or customer has examined the prints andhas paid for same, the prints are transferred from the usual paper baginto the receptacle portion of the tray of the protective container orbox .4 herein shown and described. Thus the prints are protected and,after the same have served their initial viewing purposes, they arereturned to the box or container and maintained safely for futurereference purposes. The advantages of this manner of handling and ofstorage are self-evident. Accordingly, it is submitted that theinvention Well serves the purposes for which it is intended.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and opertion shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A picture container for encasing, storing and protecting a stack ofphotographic prints, negatives and the like comprising: an open topbox-like tray embodying a bottom wall marginally encompassed byupstanding front, rear and side walls defining and providing a rim forsaid tray, a lid providing a cover for said tray, said lid having a rearmarginal edge terminating contiguous to and registering with theunderlying upper edge of said rear wall, and also having front and sidemarginal flanges overhanging said front and side walls and retainingsaid lid in a tray-closing position, a pliant web commensurate in lengthwith the length of said rear marginal edge and said rear wall andintegrally joined therewith and providing a lid and tray connectinghinge, said bottom wall having a bendably resilient tongue struck outand simultaneously providing a fingerhole and a complemental flap whichcan be bent (l) in or (2) flexed out and caught hold of with onesfingers or (3) employed as a follower to assist the user in dislodgingand ejecting pictures for convenient access andremoval, the exterior ofthe bottom surface of said bottom wall provided inwardly of thesurrounding front, rear and side walls with an endless embossedoutstanding surface elevating bead delineating a framed explanatory datareception space susceptible of use in enabling one to write in orotherwise supply information descriptive of and relative to the picturesor prints confined in said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,563,056 11/1925 Williams et al.

1,916,119 6/1933 Schwartz et al.

2,669,380 2/1954- Grenier.

2,670,261 2/1954 Mueller 20662 2,687,157 8/1954 Cowan -.5 2,842,1787/1958 Solomon 2203l X 3,381,850 5/1968 Haugan.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 150-.5; 206--62

